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George Washington Inaugural Button, Arms of the United States / Eagle with Motto

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
George Washington Inaugural Button, Arms of the United States / Eagle with Motto
Washington Buttons
George Washington Inaugural Button “Arms of the United States” or “Eagle with Motto” Exceedingly Rare Major Type
(1789) George Washington Inaugural Button, Extremely Rare “Arms of the United States” or “Heraldic American Eagle with Motto / E PLURIBUS UNUM” Major Design Type, Cobb-unlisted; Albert WI-2A; DeWitt-GW 1789-5, Baker-1011, Brass or Copper, Fine or better as its details are sharper.
35.6 mm. Rarity-6. This very distinctive major design type is all incuse, except for the Inscription on the banner held in the Heraldic American Eagle’s beak reading, “E PLURIBUS UNUM”. This button has been buried and miraculously discovered. Its metal is slightly thinner than usual, perhaps the surfaces being somewhat oxidized over the centuries. It also has some distinct light bends, probably created during its excavation. This button now exhibits overall light micro-porosity and a dark charcoal-brown color. The shank is lacking. Still, considering the surfaces, this button is remarkably satisfying for the clarity of the primary design and for the relative uniformity of detail. This extremely rare major design type is not listed in Cobb’s catalog of Washington Buttons, nor was this type it in his collection when sold at auction in 2003. An exceedingly rare major type of American Eagle button lacking in virtually all collections.
American Eagle Buttons and Other Related Types:

As noted, clothing buttons of the late 18th century were notable, if utilitarian objects. Even in the case of a Ran Away Slave advertisement, clothing buttons would be described to aid in the identification of the sought person. As such, it is not particularly remarkable that we have benefit of brief descriptions of the style of Buttons George Washington, and his contemporaries wore on their coats on the day of his First Inauguration held in New York City.

Those buttons are mentioned by more than one source, two of which were presented by Alpheus Albert in the introductory pages of his book on “Political Campaign and Commemorative Buttons” under the header, "Washington Inaugural Buttons."

Tobias Lear, George Washington's private secretary, recounted of some buttons that... "they were engraved with the Arms of the United States." Albert also gives the account of a Senator from Pennsylvania, William Maclay, who was an eyewitness to the presidential Inauguration:

"Washington was dressed in deep brown, with metal buttons, with an eagle on them, white stockings, a bag and sword."

George Washington's buttons were Hand-engraved by an English engraver, William Rollinson, who had arrived in New York in February 1789, looking to try his luck in American commercial circles. It is not known how, but Rollinson quickly came to the attention of Secretary of War, Henry Knox, who commissioned him to "chase the arms of the United States upon a set of gilt buttons for the coat which was [to be] worn by General Washington, on the memorable day of his inauguration as president," as stated in William Dunlap's, “A History of the Rise and Progress of the Arts of Design in the United States”, originally published in 1834.

According to William Dunlap, Rollinson refused payment for his work, electing to gift his efforts to the President in honor of this momentous occasion. By all accounts, Rollinson was a "chaser," not a button maker, who found a worthwhile career in America working as an engraver for silversmiths, as a copperplate engraver and, later, in the field of security printing engraving.

These accounts of Washington's "Eagle" or "Arms" buttons, and the placement of various Eagle buttons by Albert and Cobb in their references on Inaugural Buttons, have led to a long tradition of treating these buttons as "Washington Inaugural Buttons." They are certainly of the period, yet there is no way to firmly tie them to Washington or his Inauguration, unlike those that specify George Washington or his presidency. They are distinctly American motifs, however, and certainly relate to the patriotism of the period-that thrilling moment in history when a new nation had been born, one to be governed by the voice of the people.

These historic period buttons are of a few different forms, and clearly found a respectable market in early America among those who could afford such luxuries as Patriotic gilt or engraved metal buttons. Likewise, they are well-appreciated and vigorously sought after by collectors today as important political, likely presidential related artifacts of the young United States. We would venture to say that George Washington himself would have held any symbol of the United States, and its ongoing success, in much higher regard than anything having to do with him personally, or the office of the presidency he held.

What appears to be a gilt Eagle button can be see in a Miniature Portrait on Ivory of Joseph Rogers, dated to 1790-1800, held in the collections of the Rhode Island Historical Society.

"Though our present form of government may ultimately fail, and the people of this now glorious Union sink into subjective degradation-the consequence only of the neglect of the principles he [George Washington] left them as a legacy for their guidance - his name will survive for the just and humane part which he personated in the great drama of universal human rights." As written by Dr. Montroville W. Dickeson, From: “The American Numismatical Manual, 1860”.